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147 Thoughts I Had While Reading Ruined

Hey there, everyone! Tyler from Team Epic Reads here. I like to consider myself a major fan of YA fantasy. From the campy to the complex, there aren’t many that I’ve missed. So, you can imagine my shock when I realized that there was one very important story of romance and revenge that somehow got by my TBR radar – RUINED by Amy Tintera.

With its sequel just around the corner, I did what any book nerd would do: got myself a brand new paperback, threw on a comfortable sweatshirt, and sat down to enjoy the ride. I also kept track of all my reactions while reading and ended up with a whopping list of 147 semi-coherent exclamations of shock, shipping, excitement, and dread. If you’ve read Ruined already, I hope my journey through Lera reminds you of your fav moments in this twisting tale of a book. If you haven’t, TBH… you should.

1. Okay, we’re in a forest. Three characters, Em, Damian, and Aren, so, you know, simple enough. Em’s in charge. Aren’s in a tree. Cool.
2. Oh and there’s a princess. This probably won’t end well.
3. No this definitely will not end well!!
4. “One of [the horses] ran, hooves clomping as it disappeared into the trees” Same
5. Mary I don’t know what you did to get into this situation but you are in danger
6. Ohhhhh shit that’s what she did
7. “The only way to find peace was to kill everyone who threatened it” I don’t think so
8. No time for love? Too busy with revenge?! Em, don’t limit yourself!!
9. (The revenge is totally an excuse I bet she just doesn’t love him)
10. Em is the QUEEN?!
11. “She would save her sister, and kill the man who had taken her and murdered their mother” Omg yesss I’m so excited this is gonna be lit
12. Casimir lol
13. Omg he’s gonna meet Em instead of Mary I can’t wait
14. “Princess Mary jumped out of the carriage” THAT’S NOT PRINCESS MARY!!
15. “And now we unite Casimir and Mary. They both could have done worse” Lol
16. Em I hate to say it but your mother sounds a tad bit paranoid
17. Honestly if someone was spying on me by bringing me breakfast I would let them
18. This décor is very Eiffel 65
19. Ugh Em that necklace is going to be your downfall
20. Should I be shipping Davina and Aren? Like is this a book where I’m going to ship everyone? Is it too late for me to not????
21. #Relatable: beautiful clothes make everything better

22. Me: Wow that plate is very nice Em: Wow that plate would very nicely kill a man

23. “She supposed she couldn’t be blamed for crying, regardless of the status of her mother. Any girl would cry if they had to marry Casimir.” LMAO stop omg
24. “It was the smallest of the three ballrooms” What I wouldn’t give
25. Omg Em no don’t do it
26. Omggggg
27. She did it
28. Ugh she did it
29. Wait the dull blades are still METAL dang these people do not mess around

30. Em moves for kill shots like I move for snacks

31. If my mom told me I was born useless I would physically fight her Em please choose better role models!!
32. Jovita just growled and I audibly said “yikes”
33. Lmao YOOOOO Em
34. Oh I forgot Cas had POV chapters
35. I love Em and I miss her
36. I just cringed why would anyone EVER wear “bright orange robes”
37. This kingdom sounds so pretty and I would 100% vacation there but why is everything so BLUE
38. I say that like 95% of my wardrobe isn’t some shade of blue
39. Oh my god is this the WEDDING?!
40. AAAHHHHHHHH
41. I take back everything bad I’ve said about Cas he is awkward and adorable and must be protected because I love him
42. Aw a first dance JOKE’S ON YOU EM

43. The first sign of a true ship is the urge to push a strand of hair behind the ear

44. WHAT
45. WHAT!!!!!!!!
46. Out here questioning who wants to kill the prince like YOU DON’T WANT TO KILL THE PRINCE ugh where’s the thinking emoji when I need it
47. I love these characters I want a Jovita spinoff
48. Isia asking to dance with Em I am ready for the tension 👏 and 👏 drama 👏
49. Strategizing murder while dancing at a ball is next level dang
50. “She grasped her necklace” Ugh Em what did I say!!
51. “They clawed their way through the wrath and came out the other side” *Lizzie McGuire voice* this is what dreams are made of
52. You: *uses a dresser drawer to hold shirts and socks*
Em, a vengeance-seeker: *keeps nothing but a dagger and map*
53. LMAO Em omg you gotta stop this just eat the doughnut
54. I can’t believe the king is fake news
55. *Leslie Knope voice* It’s not that I don’t trust Jovita… it’s that I don’t have faith in Jovita
56. Yessss Cas tell him
57. Ugh I love Cas and Em THIS IS NOT GOING TO END WELL but I just DON’T CARE
58. Can I go on vacation to Lera pls
59. Oh my god if this is Damian………..
60. EUGH NOOO
61. UGH
62. UGHHHH
63. Oh my god no Em
64. Em don’t gooooooooo
65. Ugh I love Cas and Em they’re so good together I’m in too deep
66. F#&k
67. Oh my god
68. Ohhhh my god
69. Aw Galo
70. Oh my g o d I WINCED
71. I don’t trust the king it’s TOO EARLY IN THE BOOK TO GET A DIRECT ANSWER
72. “Being a Ruined is a state of being, not a crime .”
73. I love Galo!!! Give him a spinoff too
74. Ugh the queen no stop you’re NOT DOING THIS OUT OF THE GOODNESS OF YOUR HEART Cas please see through this RUSE

75. I’m crying Cas is like “okay let’s spar” and Em is prancing around him with the grace of starlight and the fury of a thousand suns

76. He’s like “Haha wow it sure does look like there’s MURDER in my wife’s eyes!”

82. Em dramatically going “fine” and storming out of the room because a nation of warriors is coming to kill an entire family is probably the most strangely relatable thing to happen in any YA book ever

88. Internally: I need to finish this book right now immediately and do nothing else Externally: *has 150 pages left, needs a nap*

89. Oh my god EVERYTHING IS HAPPENING
90. I guess that’s one way to repaint a too-blue kitchen
91. WHAT?!
92. I have so many CONFLICTING EMOTIONS
93. Oh my god Cas GET OUT OF THERE RIGHT NOW
94. Cas will be such a good king if he survives!!! Cas please survive!!
95. I’m glad Em is diversifying her interests and doesn’t just think about murder anymore
96. I mean, the only other thing she really thinks about Cas, but like, I get it
97. “Galo too, probably” NOOOOOO
98. Ugh NOTHING CAN BE EASY, CAN IT????
99. Omg go Cas goooo
100. At least I still have the BFF goals that are Em and Aren
101. Okay at least these two seem nice
102. NOT NICE NOT NICE DEFINITELY NOT NICE
103. EMMMMMMMMMM
104. Oh my god SAY SOMETHING
105. USE WORDS NOT SWORDS
106. TAKE THE WEAPONS AWAY FROM THESE CHILDREN
107. Casimir she is LYING do you have NO CHILL
108. Why can’t everyone just sit around a campfire and roast marshmallows
109. CRINGING CRINGING CRINGING
110. Yessss take him out
111. Ugh just kiss and make up already pleeeease

112. This is the most literal shipping I’ve ever done

113. Cas looking around for somewhere else to go, trapped on a boat with a crying girl
114. “I can’t even go anywhere. I’m stuck on this boat with you, watching you cry.”
115. Are you KIDDING ME
116. They can’t catch a break!!!!!!!!!!!
117. “He would save her again, and again.”

118. Running theme of both characters’ narration is “I’m so angry but they are so CUTE” and I don’t hate it

119. “I fully intended to ignore you, but it turns out you’re very hard to ignore.”
120. Ugh being star-crossed is so stressful
121. Galo!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
122. Classic Jovita
123. I am so glad that his people recognize he’ll be the better leader
124. “A few months.” “Months!” Months!!!
125. I want a book where everyone is hanging out at the beach and the couples get to be cute and no one gets murdered is that too much to ask??
126. Yesss Em you earn that respect
127. Ugh there’s not enough time left for everything to happen I’m SO STRESSED
128. I don’t trust them!!!!
129. Casimir you are toeing a dangerous line here!!
130. I don’t trust any of these people!!!!!!!
131. Oh my GOD
132. I knew it I just KNEW IT
133. Ugh
134. Oh boy Olivia’s gonna be trouble isn’t she
135. Yeeeep that seems right
136. Ugh just go get out of there don’t look back no more murder
137. …. Oh my god
138. STOP WITH THE WEAPONS AND MURDER
139. Em look up look in the trees!!! YOU WERE IN THE TREES!!

140. WHAT141. WHAT!!!!!!142. ………………… What

143. Oh my god
144. Ohhh my god
145. Well THAT sure is going to be a problem
146. Ugh that was exhausting
147. But like also where is book two

I’m so stressed but also incredibly glad I can go read the sequel AVENGEDright now okay goodbye. Thanks for sticking with me through this!

Have you readRUINEDyet? What other books do you want Tyler to record commentary for? Tell us in the comments below!

This. Is. Everything.
Please do these kind of posts for every book ever.. ok, maybe not quite every book. But more!
I just finished reading Ruined (why did it take me so long to find it??) and this is so accurate it’s not even funny.
Lying around reading all day is productive… isn’t it?